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Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Hand Quilting with Silk Threads

Beautiful soft cotton fabrics and smooth, colour saturated silk threads are a very satisfying combination to work with. I have begun hand quilting 'Peaceful Night' with the delightful silk threads I shared about last week. Silk thread is strong, smooth, soft and durable, maintaining its integrity much better than cotton, allowing you to use longer lengths and to undo and restitch a section when needed (I'm a bit fussy with my stitches). Silk's natural reflective lustre makes it appear to change colour according to the angle of the thread and light, a feature which I find adds to its interest and appeal. For this reason I have found it best to choose thread colours by daylight as the silk's shininess makes it hard to accurately choose colours even with my full spectrum Ott-Lite lamp. Laying a length of thread over the fabric gives a better idea of true colour effect than judging by looking at the entire spool of thread.The silks do tend to catch easily on any roughness, including hardened skin on fingertips and nail corners, proving to be good motivation to look after my hands with more care.Hand quilting with silk truly is a pleasure to both the eyes and the skin, one which I will be continuing to enjoy for a few weeks.Thread Notes: As shared here last week I'm using Quilter's Silks 16 wt from Superior Threads and also Gutermann Buttonhole Twist Silks 12 wt which I sourced on eBay. Any difference between them is imperceptible once quilted so I choose the colour which works best with each section of my quilt.Sharing at WIP Wednesday.

Hi Hannele,I have the same problem here in Australia, which is why I purchase most of my fabrics and threads from the USA (also most things are much cheaper in the USA even if I can source them locally). I’m very grateful for living in an age when through the internet and international shipping we can access a huge variety of products.

I think you may enjoy it Anne. I tried using a hoop when first hand quilting in 2011 but soon realised it wasn't for me. I stitch baste well, then begin quilting in the centre, working my way outwards, just as I do when fmq by machine. I gently smooth the section I am working on as I go.

Preeti you are right about the wonderful colour saturation of the silks....so pretty!

I’ve spent several months in India, twice, before having children (so that makes it about 24 years ago now). If I was to go again I would have a ball with my (digital) camera and pay a whole lot more attention to details like fabrics. I surely remember the wonderful bright colours and great variety of the clothing and how the women appear immaculate despite less than clean surroundings.

Hi Gail, I think my best tip is to experiment and see what works best for you. I prefer not to use a hoop (or thimble) and I am learning to sit so that I’m not stressing my neck or shoulders by bending over my work all the time. For now I’m using two chairs - one to sit on and the other to put my feet with my knees bent upwards to act as bit of a table for my quilt. I knot the ends of the threads and bury within the batting/quilt. Keep the lengths of your threads not too long - this helps prevents tangles, is easier to work with and keeps the thread in better condition. Try a few different thread types and thicknesses to see which works best with your quilt and decide if you want the thread colour to blend or provide a contrast. Choose your batting carefully to give the effect you want but not one which is too stiff to hand sew.

I love the look of your hand quilting. Your stitches are so perfectly spaced and even I am awed by your work. I especially love the look that it gives the quilt, it seems like it makes the stars pop out a little more. Did you use a higher loft batting? Or is that just because of the stitches?

I am currently working on an applique quilt and I was thinking of using a higher loft to make it pop more, so I was wondering if that is what you did.

Elise I have used a medium loft soft polyester batting, Matilda’s Own brand (Australian). Unlike other polyester battings I have seen, it’s beautifully soft to the touch. I first used this batting on the Musical Stairs quilt I made for our twins, partly because it was whiter in colour than cotton batting, plus the softness and lighter weight. I also used it for my last quilt - Royal Whispers. As I may one day hang Peaceful Night as a wall quilt I thought the lighter weight of the polyester would be a better choice. It’s a bonus that it has a higher loft than the cotton battings I have used and it’s nice and soft to hand quilt too, even though it has a scrim.

A Little About Me

Hello, I'm Karen. Welcome to my blog! Here I share snippets from our life as a family of ten in rural Australia - everyday happenings, photography, gardening, homeschooling and my love of quilting.
I choose to find beauty, contentment and joy in my everyday life.
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